1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mattress which is fire-retardant and does not burn when exposed to elevated temperatures and flame.
2. Description of Related Art
In the United States mattress fires cause the deaths of approximately 500 people each year. One of the main causes of these fires is children playing with matches.
The incidence of mattress fires throughout the United States is such that the industry has formed committees to attempt to establish standards for testing flammability of mattresses. The state of California enacted regulations in 2001 which requires all mattresses to be sold effective January 2004 to meet the performance requirements of California Technical Bulletin 129. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering regulations which would require that mattresses be required to pass an open flame test which would be mandatory nationwide.
The foam used within the mattress for cushioning, is a potential source of fuel which can be ignited and quickly engulf the mattress in flames. The foam is highly flammable. Not only is the foam flammable, but when burning, it emits noxious fumes. Furthermore, in the construction of the mattress, the sewing thread, used to secure the perimeter of the mattress, which is a thread made of nylon or other fibers. These threads are flammable and will melt when exposed to direct flame. The flammability of the present mattresses is aggravated by these types of thread. These threads melt at the temperature of a burning match, which is approximately 460xc2x0 F. When the thread is destroyed the structural integrity of the mattress is destroyed. The flame frequently travels around the periphery of the mattress where the threads join the top and the sidewalls. This flame then ignites the foam within the mattress which fuels the fire to a catastrophic event.
There is interest from the ASTM International, a national consensus standards organization, on this subject. Specifically, Subcommittee E5-15 which is responsible for household furnishings, has initiated the development of a standard to evaluate the performance of components which can be used to improve the ability of mattresses to withstand an open flame.
In a related area, aircraft seat manufacturers are concerned about the flame resistance of the seats to meet the performance requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 25.833.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mattress, a sofa cushion and a pillow which, when exposed to an open flame, will not burn.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fire retardant mattress which is easily produced and is economical to manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fire retardant mattress which will meet the requirements established by government agencies.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a fire-retardant mattress, sofa cushion, pillow or the like, comprising a foam base, a fire barrier material, a tape covering the intersecting planar surfaces of the mattress and forming an edge binding for the mattress around the perimeter thereof. The fire barrier material is sandwiched between the edge binding, thereby forming a laterally-projecting flange. The flange is held together by a stitched fire-retardant sewing thread. The thread and the tape of the edge binding are capable of withstanding very high temperatures without rendering the foam vulnerable to the flames, and yet retaining the structural integrity of the mattress as a whole.
In further accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a method of making a fire-retardant mattress, sofa cushion, pillow or the like. There is provided a frame, a foam base, a fire barrier material substantially covering the foam base and a ticking covering the fire barrier material, thereby forming a sheet of material. The sheet of material is formed into a top, a bottom and a sidewall for the frame and defining planar surfaces. A laterally projecting flange is formed around the perimeter of the mattress, sofa cushion and pillow. The flange is formed from the foam, the fire barrier material and the ticking at the intersecting planar surfaces of the mattress, the sofa cushion and the pillow. A fire-retardant treated edge binding tape is disposed over the laterally projecting flange such that the flange is sandwiched between the edge binding tape. The edge binding tape is sewn over the laterally-projecting flange with a fire-retardant thread, thereby securing the edge binding. In this manner the mattress, sofa cushion and pillow are capable of withstanding very high temperatures and open flame while retaining structural integrity.